Issue #43-4.14.08

Dr. Lorne Lavine Dental Technology Consultants Printer Friendly Version

Paper “less” Is More

Paper. It’s everywhere. In our charts, walkout statements, insurance forms… you name it—paper is a big part of daily life. It’s difficult to open any dental journal recently and not see some articles about how to develop a paperless or chartless practice; it’s the most popular lecture that I give. Many dentists dream about the day they can eliminate paper from their practices, but very few actually do it. One of the biggest hurdles to developing a paperless practice is the cost of it, because many paper-based systems need to be replaced by digital counterparts, often costing thousands of dollars in addition to the time and challenge of being trained on these systems. However, have you ever really sat down to consider how much it is costing you to keep your existing paper-based systems? There are many ways that you can actually save money in the long run by eliminating paper:

1. The paper-based systems actually have a direct financial cost. I’m not just talking about the paper that goes into your printer—that stuff is relatively cheap. What about the costs of the printer itself? A decent laserjet printer for a dental office will run around $500, but as anyone who uses a printer knows, the cost of the consumables (ink, toner, etc.) usually far outweighs the cost of the original purchase! If you want to know how much you’re actually spending on printing, there’s an excellent reference at PrinterDB that will show you not only the cost per page, but also total cost of ownership over the life of the printer. For some, it’s well over $3,000.

2. Another expensive paper-based system is recall reminders. The majority of offices are still using postcards to remind patients of upcoming appointments. Then, in many cases, they follow up with phone calls. The direct costs of the postcards and stamps can be quite high depending on the size of the practice, and often many hours each day are spent on the time and labor needed to send postcards and make phone calls. The digital counterparts require significantly less cost and time. Email-based systems, like DemandForce and Uappoint, text-messaging systems, like Smile Reminder, and phone-based systems, such as Elexity, are highly effective and efficient and, at around $200 per month, very cost-effective as well.

3. Charts are the bane of many practices. The amount of information that goes into a chart can be overwhelming. We all have charts that are so stuffed with paper that the chart is beginning to crumble. One overlooked fact of having charts is that not only do you need to deal with the charts, but you need space to store these charts. For new offices or offices undergoing a remodel, elimination of the shelves for charts can often translate into extra room for another operatory, digital panograph, or some other high-tech item that can generate more income for the practice. Conversely, if there are no charts, the practice could utilize a smaller space and save on the costs of rent and utilities.
   
   The trick to eliminating charts completely is to find digital systems to replace the need for paper. One of the best systems to do this is Dentforms. The main selling point of Dentforms is that it can take all of the forms that normally require patient signatures (Informed Consent, HIPAA, Medical History, etc.) and convert them into digital forms that patients can sign with electronic signature pads. Not only that, they can also fill out these forms online long before they arrive at the practice…meaning that less time is needed for new patient visits so more patients can be seen during the day.

4. There are numerous other digital systems that can replace paper and thus allow the practice to develop into a paperless one. For example, although most practice management programs offer some basic progress notes, Easy Notes Pro takes it to the next level. There are free online-collaboration sites such as ddsWebLink that allow digital images, referral slips, and data to be shared between labs and offices, rather than duplicating or printing them out and sending them in the mail.

There is no doubt that developing a chartless or paperless practice can be challenging and time consuming. However, dentists should know that as expensive as it may be to become paperless, staying with paper is costing more in the long run. With a methodical and well thought-out conversion, any practice can enjoy the benefits and cost savings of being paperless.

Lorne Lavine, DMD is the Founder and President of Dental Technology Consultants.  Dr. Lavine holds two prestigious certifications, the A+ Certified Technician designation and the Network+ Certified Professional. These designations demonstrate proficiency in computer repair, operating systems, network design and installation. Dental Technology Consultants provide dentists a full range of services relating to the implementation of technology.

Dr. Lavine can be reached directly at 1.866.204.339 or drlavine@thedentistsnetwork.net.